Robartes Junior School

Inspection report

Unique Reference Number	111922
LEA	Cornwall
Inspection number	285280
Inspection dates	5–6 July 2006
Reporting inspector	Pauline Robins HMI

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 which gives Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools the authority to cause any school to be inspected. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

7–11 July 2006 285280


Type of School	Junior	School address	23 Barn Lane Bodmin PL31 1LU
School category	Community
Age range of pupils	7–11
Gender of pupils	Mixed	Telephone number	01208 72644
Number on roll	220	Fax number	01208 78309
Appropriate authority	The governing body	Chair of governors	Mr G Goldsmith
Date of previous inspection	June 2004	Headteacher	Mr Ewan Murray

Introduction

When the school was inspected in June 2004 it was judged to require special measures because it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education. Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools (HMI) visited the school on four occasions to monitor its progress and reinspected the school in July 2006. The inspection was carried out by one HMI and one Additional Inspector.

Description of the school

Robartes is an average sized junior school which takes the majority of its pupils from the neighbouring infant school. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school has been variable over the years but is now consistently well below average. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage although there are six pupils who speak English as an additional language. Twenty-six per cent of the pupils have learning difficulties or disabilities of which twenty pupils have a statement of special educational need, which is above average for a school of this size. The school has a ten place Area Resource Base (known as the Smartie Class), which draws children from a wider area. These pupils have complex learning needs and this accounts for the high number of statements. Almost one third of the pupils are eligible for free school meals.

Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding

Grade 2 Good

Grade 3 Satisfactory

Grade 4 Inadequate

Overall effectiveness of the school

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

This is a good and improving school which gives good value for money. There are now effective monitoring and evaluation procedures in place which enable the staff and governors to form an accurate picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. However, some of these are relatively new and need to become fully embedded in practice. The staff and senior managers have worked purposefully with the headteacher to improve the school’s performance and have demonstrated the capacity to improve further. The pupils are now making good progress and standards are improving, the data held by the school indicates that this should continue. The ethos of the school is one of mutual respect and the personal development and well-being of pupils is good. The school’s mission statement, ‘where everybody is somebody’ is certainly at the heart of everything. As a result of this, and the good teaching pupils receive, the pupils behave very well and enjoy coming to school. The curriculum is satisfactory but a more formal process of monitoring and delivering cross-curricular links needs to be found.

The Area Resource Base is now satisfactory as a result of the recent improvements made in planning and target setting. However, both the school and the local authority recognise that further improvement still needs to be made.

Grade: 2

Effectiveness and efficiency of the Area Resource Base (ARB)

Pupils in the ARB achieve satisfactorily. Staffing is now more settled after a long period of instability, this had a negative affect on the quality of the provision. Since then improved planning in English and mathematics and good teaching has resulted good progress in reading and in number work. As yet, these improvements have not reached the other subjects which are not as well planned, because of this pupils’ achieve satisfactorily overall. The outstanding relationships between pupils and staff mean that pupils are comfortable in the base. They talk easily to staff and to each other and this helps them become confident young people, who are able to benefit from taking some of their lessons in the main school.

Statutory requirements relating to statements of special educational needs are met. Target setting in English and mathematics is good, but is not as well developed in the other subjects. Consequently, in most of the subjects it is difficult to assess the progress pupils make.

Effective support from the local authority’s link officer has helped lead the recent improvement in the quality of the provision. The school senior management team are working to ensure that procedures that operate in the main school, for example for assessing pupils’ progress, are applied to the ARB. With the continued involvement of the local authority and stable staffing, the capacity for further improvement is good.

What the school should do to improve further

Stabilise the staffing and maintain the involvement of the local authority to improve provision in the ARB.
Secure and embed the systems which support the raising of standards, particularly with regard to pupil tracking and school self-evaluation.
Formalise and develop cross curricular links.

Achievement and standards

Achievement and standards are satisfactory overall. The 2005 Year 6 results were below average. However, there has been steady improvement since 2004 in English and science. Mathematics results had fallen back, mainly because too few pupils achieved at the higher levels. Provisional results for 2006 appear to show a continuation of the improving trend with mathematics and science results likely to be above the national average but English, though improving, remaining below. The school already has in place appropriate plans to address the raising of standards, particularly with regard to English.

Attainment on entry to the school is average for the current Years 5 and 6 but the Year 4 pupils came into the school with below average standards. This is a continuing trend as Year 3 were below average on entry and information on the next year’s intake shows them to be significantly below. Progress is satisfactory in Year 3, except in reading where it is good. However, progress in the other year groups is good overall. Pupils with learning difficulties make similar progress to their peers. There is now an effective, although not fully embedded, tracking system which is able to demonstrate the progress that pupils are making at an individual and group level.

Grade: 3

Personal development and well-being

Personal development and well-being are good. The pupils’ enjoyment of school is evident in lessons and in discussions and is reflected in many ways, including their good attitudes to their work. Pupils take pride in their school when talking to visitors.

There are many contributory factors to pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. All staff are excellent role models with very high expectations and, as a result, behaviour is very good. The consistent way in which the reward system is implemented provides clear guidelines on what is right and wrong. Lessons in personal, social and health education (PSHE) are well organised and effective. Initiatives, such as the school council, peer mediators and the ‘super six’ give pupils good opportunities to take responsibility. There are few incidents of bullying and, when it does occur, it is effectively dealt with. Spiritual and cultural development is effectively promoted through the curriculum and by visitors to the school, such as the African drum group and the Cornish folk singers. The thoughtful and enjoyable school and class assemblies are a strength of the school.

Pupils learn the importance of leading healthy lifestyles by making suitable choices about food, drink and leisure activities. Through the curriculum and lunch time and after school clubs, they take part in a wide range of physical activities. Essential skills for living such as shopping, budgeting and personal independence are addressed well through the curriculum. Attendance is satisfactory.

Grade: 2

Quality of provision

Teaching and learning

Teaching is consistently good and in some lessons outstanding. Long and medium term plans are very good and lessons are clearly derived from them. This means that learning is well organised. Setting clear objectives at the start of lessons and opportunities at the end of lessons for pupils to judge whether these have been achieved gives a purpose to lessons that pupils like and find helpful. Precise marking helps teachers judge the progress of individual pupils and provides good guidance on how pupils can improve their work.

In many classes the range of pupils’ capabilities is wide , sometimes as many as four National Curriculum levels. Teachers know the pupils very well and routinely group them according to their abilities. Lesson tasks are well planned to be relevant to all pupils. In the best lessons key workers are managed well and help ensure that all pupils make progress. In a small number of lessons they are not used as effectively. In these lessons the lowest attaining pupils do not progress at the same rate.

The outstanding relationships pupils have with staff help pupils be confident learners who are unafraid of making a mistake. They eagerly use equipment such as the interactive whiteboard and are always ready try new ways of learning, for example when they seek information for themselves in the guided reading lessons. Routinely, pupils try hard to do their best because in most lessons learning is fun and rewarding.

The staff have become highly skilled in producing interactive displays which engage the pupils. These add to the learning experience and help pupils to recognise the level at which they are working and what they need to do in order to progress.

Grade: 2

Curriculum and other activities

The curriculum is satisfactory. It is broad, balanced and meets statutory requirements. It provides well for pupils’ personal as well as academic needs and allows pupils to be creative and to enjoy their education. Understandably the teachers have been focusing on the core subjects in recent months in an effort to drive up standards. They are now ready, and recognise the need, to develop the foundation subjects further. There are already good links made between subjects but these need to be planned in a more formal way particularly through the delivery of guided reading. The curriculum is enhanced by a wide range of well attended extra-curricular activities and additional stimuli, such as the National Heritage Living History programme, which broaden the pupils’ perspective. There are excellent opportunities for pupils to gain in self-confidence and self-esteem during regular visits outside of school and on residential trips. Examples of these are visits to the museum and the courthouse, the latter to watch elected members in discussion.

Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support

The care, guidance and support provided by the school are good. What comes across very strongly is how much the staff care about pupils. The outstanding relationships pupils develop with staff help pupils talk easily with adults on any matter. T hey know they will be taken seriously and, as a result, pupils report that they feel safe at school. Child protection procedures are secure and understood by staff.

The use of conferencing, talking to pupils individually or in small groups about their work, is becoming embedded in teachers’ practice and recognised by pupils as useful in helping them improve and reach their targets. Also the ‘learning walls’ have added to the pupils desire to succeed and reach their next level. They are clear about the level at which they are working and can explain what it is they need to do next, in order to improve.

Grade: 2

Leadership and management

Leadership and management are good overall. The newly formed and expanded senior management team have the drive and enthusiasm to take the school forward. The members are growing in confidence and understand their roles in raising standards and supporting and challenging colleagues in a professional way. The relatively new acting deputy headteacher has acted as a catalyst for change and gives good support to the headteacher. There is a sense of team spirit which encompasses the whole school community of pupils, staff and governors. Everyone is working purposefully towards common goals. As a result the school has the capacity to improve further.

The senior managers know the school well. Areas for development are identified and followed up. The monitoring of teaching and learning is accurate and agrees with the findings of the inspection team. However, there is a n eed to maintain the focus on being a school which is self-evaluating and one which regularly reflects on its practice.

The g overnors, in particular the chair, are very supportive of the school and give freely of their time. They have a well documented monitoring process which is used to hold the school to account. However, they must maintain their focus on standards, teaching and learning.

The school has been well supported by the local authority. The system of objective monitoring has been particularly beneficial in keeping the school on track for improvement.

Grade: 2

Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov. uk.

Inspection judgements

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate.

School Overall

Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners?	2
How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners’ well-being?	2
The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage	NA
The effectiveness of the school’s self-evaluation	2
The capacity to make any necessary improvements	Yes
Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection	Yes

Achievement and standards

How well do learners achieve?	3
The standards reached by learners	3
How well learners’ make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners	2
How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress	3

Personal development and well-being

How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the learners?	2
The extent of learners’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development	2
The behaviour of learners	2
The attendance of learners	3
How well learners enjoy their education	2
The extent to which learners adopt safe practices	2
The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles	2
The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community.	2
How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being	2

The quality of provision

How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of learners’ needs?	2
How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners?	3
How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?	2

Leadership and management

How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners?	2
How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education	2
How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review	2
How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can	2
How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money	2
The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities	2
The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected	Yes
Does this school require special measures?	No
Does this school require a notice to improve?	No

The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy
Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily.	Yes
Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise.	Yes
Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse.	Yes
Learners are educated about sexual health.	Yes
The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe.
Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements.	Yes
Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place.	Yes
Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism.	Yes
Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them.	Yes
The extent to which learners make a positive contribution
Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships.	Yes
Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them.	Yes
Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community	Yes
The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being
There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills.	Yes
Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams.	Yes
Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in Key Stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form.	NA
Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy.	NA

Alexandra House

33 Kingsway

London WC2B 6SE

T 0207 421 6800

F 0207 421 6707

www.ofsted.gov.uk

Robartes Junior School

23 Barn Lane

Bodmin

Cornwall

PL31 1LU

14 July 2006

Dear Pupils

By now you will know that your school no longer requires special measures. I would like to thank you all for the warm welcome you have given me and my fellow inspectors on each of our visits. I would also like to give a very special thank you to the pupils who took the time to talk to us and tell us all about Robartes School and the changes that have taken place.

One of the best things about your school is how well you behave and how hard you are working in lessons. The standard of your work is certainly better and you know what to do to improve it still further. The learning walls have helped and they are certainly fun and well designed. The staff work together as a team and the pupils and governors are also part of the school team. You told us that you enjoy coming to school and that the staff take very good care of you. The headteacher, staff and governors are very clear about what they need to do to keep the school heading in the right direction and I know you will help them in this.

I have also discussed with Mr Murray and the staff some areas for development which they need to work on.

There have already been lots of changes to the work that the children in the Smartie class are doing and with the help of people from the local authority this should continue to get better.
There are lots of new systems in place, including the way the teachers track your progress and check what is happening in the school, they need to keep using these systems so that everyone (including you) get used to them.
You already link together some ideas from one subject to another, for example in guided reading. The staff are going to look at ways they can plan for this to happen more frequently.

Good luck to you all and I shall look forward to hearing about how well you are doing in the future

Yours sincerely

Pauline Robins HMI

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high ; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average ; Grade 3 - Broadly average ; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low . The grey boxes are used wherever the inspection team has sufficient evidence to come to a secure judgement.